Great American Bash 1998
by frostyfreezyfreeze54
Summary: Randy Orton has everything. A new brand. New audience. But there's one missing piece-the World Heavyweight Championship. How will he get it? Find out.
1. World Heavyweight Championship Buildup

Great American Bash 1998

After his long-awaited surgery on his injured knee, Randy Orton returned to the WWE in late June with one intention: To pick up where he left off and regain the WWE Championship. At least, that's what people thought. On his first day back on duty, The Legend Killer shocked everyone by signing a lucrative four-month contract with the SmackDown! brand, instead of returning to RAW like most projected. This was major news. Orton was the first man in WWE history to switch brands. While Triple H was forced to switch brands since the World Heavyweight Championship was on SmackDown!, The Viper did it on his own merits. This opened up the opporotunity for many Superstars to sign with different shows, and WWE decided to begin free agency during this time period. Back to Orton. Five days after the big signing, The Legend Killer made his first SmackDown! appearance and received boos. Same old Orton. He then said that he signed with Friday nights to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The Viper basically said that since he is the new kid on the block, the next title shot should go to him. The familiar saying of "You think you know me" blasted through the air like a sonic boom. It was Edge! The Rated-R Superstar had become WWE's first-ever free agent and chose to sign with SmackDown!. Right off the bat, Edge won over the SmackDown! fans, saying that he deserves a title shot more since the WWE Universe actually can stand him. "Edge!" chants broke out after that line. General Manager Theodore "Teddy" Long came out, saying that both men will get a fair shot since they're newbies. Long booked Orton vs. Edge for next week's main event, with the winner facing Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Great American Bash. In a back-and-forth battle, The Viper proved victorious when he hit an RKO out of a Spear attempt. The next week, during a talking segment, Triple H said that no matter what Orton does or says, he'll never win the World Heavyweight Championship. That triggered an explosion in The Viper's head. He systematically assaulted The Game to the point where medics had to come out. A week later, Long made the match a No-Disqualification Match. That same night, Orton punted special guest star The Rock (returning to WWE for the first time since WrestleMania X four years ago) in the head, going on a punting spree, where he scrambled the brains of Flash Funk, Flash Flannigan, and Shawn Michaels. He also beat Kurt Angle after reversing a German suplex into a Victory Roll. The Legend Killer prepared to punt the Olympic gold medalist, but Triple H's music played. Orton readied himself for battle, but the King of Kings was behind him-with a sledgehammer! BAM! The Viper may be cold, calculating, and sinister. But Triple H was smart, intimidating, and unbreakable. And at the Great American Bash, one man would rise above the other and escape a brutal war as the World Heavyweight Champion.


	2. The Match

The pay-per-view took place on July 26, 1998 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California. There are no countouts or disqualifications, and everything-and anything-is legal. You can only win by pinfall or submission. Triple H entered first, but Orton came from behind and nailed him with a lead pipe. With The Game knocked out, The Viper threw him in the ring and went for the cover. ONE! TWO! KICKOUT! It didn't matter. For several minutes, Orton dominated, using anything he could find to win. A metal jar. A garbage can. A steel chair. Even a hot dog cart. The Legend Killer was just about to put on the finishing touches on his World Heavyweight Championship win. A punt to the head. But Triple H moved out of the way, and Orton's surgically-repaired knee crashed into the ring post. The Cerebral Assassin took control on The Viper's knee and used a barbed wire board to attack it. Triple H nearly choked out Orton before stopping. He needed something. His trusty sledgehammer! The same weapon used to strike The Legend Killer two days ago would now be used again. Orton avoided near-tragedy and hit a low blow. Once again, The Viper had taken control. He took the World Heavyweight Champion ringside and began to bloody him on the RAW announce table. Orton then got steel steps and nearly hit the Hangtime DDT on the steps off the table. But Triple H overpowered him and The Legend Killer's spine got the treatment instead. The King of Kings bashed Orton with a TV monitor, busting him open and returning the favor. The WWE Universe cheered as Triple H hit the Pedigree on the steps and went for the pin. ONE! TWO! KICKOUT! The Cerebral Assassin was sure it was over. He threw The Viper over the ropes and took him to the entrance ramp. With a kendostick in hand, Triple H nearly broke it after the velocity and frequency of those shots. Now, both men were on the stage. The Game slammed Orton through a car windshield and put him in the back of it. The car was there for decoration. There was also an orange car on the other side of the stage. The blue car was where Triple H and The Legend Killer were fighting. The King of Kings drove the car in reverse and it crashed into the set, causing an explosion. Triple H took a motionless Orton and threw him back in the ring, looking to hit the Pedigree. But The Viper hit a back bodydrop and a snap powerslam. He then hit the RKO. BAM! Orton was in that zone once more. That zone where you'll get your head kicked in if you disturb the peace. The Legend Killer had The Cerebral Assassin on his hit list. The hit list for a punt to the head. That is, when Edge ran in and hit the Spear. The Rated-R Superstar exited through the crowd and slapped hands as Triple H hit Orton in the head with the garbage can. He then put the can over The Viper's head, grabbed a new kendostick and channeled his inner Sammy Sosa. The Game swung for the fences and may have even hit a home run with that whack. Triple H then took the can off of Orton's head. He had something better. A Pedigree onto the can. BAM! The King of Kings made the cover. ONE! TWO! THREE! Triple H spoiled Randy Orton's return to the WWE, and retained the World Heavyweight Championship in the process. The Fresno crowd erupted like screaming banshees as The Cerebral Assassin posed. And that was one hell of a match. To see if Orton gets his revenge, the revelation of the masked man and his possible past with John Cena, and the evolution of The Undertaker, read my next story, SummerSlam 1998. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

THE END


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